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Cell shape determination in Escherichia coli.

Mary J Osborn1, Lawrence Rothfield

  • 1Department of Molecular, Microbial and Structural Biology, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT 06032, United States. osborn@nso2.uchc.edu

Current Opinion in Microbiology
|November 6, 2007
PubMed
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Bacterial cell shape is determined by peptidoglycan. Actin homologues MreB and Mbl form helical structures essential for rod shape by guiding murein synthesis.

Area of Science:

  • Microbial cell biology
  • Bacterial morphogenesis
  • Cytoskeletal dynamics

Background:

  • Bacterial cell shape is dictated by the peptidoglycan (murein) sacculus.
  • The mechanisms underlying murein sacculus shape determination are increasingly understood.
  • MreB and Mbl, actin homologues, form pole-to-pole helical structures in rod-shaped bacteria.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To elucidate the role of MreB/Mbl in bacterial cell shape determination.
  • To investigate the assembly and regulation of the murein morphogenetic machinery.
  • To understand the switch between lateral wall synthesis and septum formation.

Main Methods:

  • Investigating cytoskeletal actin homologues (MreB/Mbl).
  • Analyzing the murein synthesis pathway and associated proteins.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Studying the regulation of cell division and peptidoglycan synthesis.

    • Main Results:

    • MreB (Gram-negative) and Mbl (Gram-positive) are crucial for maintaining rod shape.
    • These proteins are essential for murein synthesis along the lateral cell wall.
    • The broader morphogenetic system includes MreB/Mbl, MreC, MreD, and PBP2.

    Conclusions:

    • MreB/Mbl are key components of the bacterial cytoskeleton, essential for cell shape.
    • Further research is needed to clarify MreB's role in complex assembly and regulatory mechanisms.
    • Understanding these processes is vital for microbial cell biology and potential therapeutic targets.